Automatic machine for voicing organ-reed tongues



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. H. HAMMOND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR VUIGING ORGAN REED TONGUES.

No. 531,844. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. H. HAMMOND. AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR VOIGING ORGAN REED TONGUES.

' No. 531,844. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

QVVLM we as (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. H. HAMMOND. AUTOMATIC MAGEINE FOR VOIGING ORGAN REED TONGUES.

N0. 531,844. Patented Jan. 1,1895.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. H. HAMMOND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR VOIGING ORG-AN REED TONGUES.

No. 531,844. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

Q Vibmaaoco 51401240606 33W} GHQ-ruc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREWV H. HAMMOND, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR VOlClNG ORGAN-REED TONGUES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,844, dated January 1, 1 895.

Application filed June 21,1894. Serial No. 515,242. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW H. HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVorcester, in the county of \Voroester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Machines for Voicing Organ-Reed Tongues; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which, in connection with the drawings making a part of thisspecificat-ion, will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an automatic machine for voicing organ reed tongues, that is, for cutting or milling the reed tongue to the desired thickness and form, after it has been attached to the reed plate.

Heretofore in voicing organ reed tongues,

after the reed tongue has been attached to the reed plate, it has been customary for the operator to place the reed plate upon aform, which extends into a slot in said plate to support the tongue, and then to clamp the reed plate and cause it to pass twice under a revolving cutter, that is, move it forward under the cutter, and then draw it backward from under the cutter, which cuts or mills the reed tongue to the desired thickness and form. This operation is necessarily a slow one, involving the placing of the reed plate on the form by hand, and the passage of each reed plate twice under the cutter.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine in which the form which supports the reed tongue is automatically operated to enter the slot in the reed plate, and to move out of engagement therewith, and in which the reed plate with the reed tongue attached thereto,is automatically clamped and held on a slide, and moved once under the cutter, which acts to cut or mill the reed tongue to the desired thickness and form, during the single passage of the same under the cutter, after which the reed plate drops into a receptacle placed to receive it.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction. and operation of an automatic machine, of the class above referred to, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine, looking in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 3, showing the several parts of the machine in the positions they occupy preparatory to starting the machine to operate on the reed tongue. Fig. 2 corresponds to Fig. 1, but shows the several parts of the machine in the extreme opposite position to that shown in Fig. 1, after the reed tongue has been operated on. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with some of the parts shown in said Fig. 1 left oif, for the sake of clearness. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a detached portion of the ma chine. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on line 5, 5, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of arrow Z2, same figure. Fig. 6 is a detail of the reed gate, or check bar, detached. Fig. 7 is a cross section, on line 7, 7, Fig. 6, looking in the di rection of arrow 0, same figure. Fig. 8 is a plan View of a reed plate; Fig. 9, a central longitudinal section of the reed plate shown in Fig. 8, and Fig.10 a cross section, on line 10, 10, Fig. 8, looking in the direction of arrow (1, same figure. a

The several parts of my machine consist essentially of a horizontal moving slide, supported and having a reciprocating motion on the frame of the machine. Said slide has attached thereto and carries thereon, mechanism for holding and operating the form, the upper end of which extends into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue. Said form is moved up and down at the proper time, to enter the slot in the reed plate, and to be disengaged therefrom; also mechanism for clamping the reed plate at the proper time, as it is fed, or moved forward under the cutter, and to release it after it has passed once under the cutter; also mechanism for operating on the rocking arm carrying the cutter, to cause the cutter to be lowered at the proper time, to operate on the reed tongue, and to he raised after it has operated on the reed tongue. All of said mechanisms operate automatically, and at the proper time, relatively to each other.

I will now proceed to describe in detail the several mechanisms of my machine, and the operation thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the standard of the machine, and 2 the stationary frame or bed on which the several parts of the machine are supported. 3 is the slide,

above referred to, supported and adapted to have areciprocating motion in a horizontal plane, in ways 3 on the frame 2. The slide 3 is operated, in this instance, to be moved forward, by a cam 4, fast on a shaft 5, journaled on the frame of the machine. On the opposite end of the shaft 5 is fast, in this instance, a pulley 6, driven by a belt, not shown. The cam 4 engages a roll 7 on a stud 8, fast on the slide 3, to move forward said slide 3, against the operation of a U spring 9, secured at one end by a screw 10 to the end of the frame 2, and hearing at its other free end against apin 11, in the end of the slide 3. After the slide 3 has been moved forward,by the action of the cam 1- on the roll 7, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring 9 causes the return of the slide, after the cam {L has completed its revolution.

Supported on the slide 3, to move there with, is an arm 12, pivoted at one end on a pin 12', fast on the slide 3, and carrying at its other end the form 13, the upper end of which is adapted to extend into the slot 28' in the reed plate 28, to support the reed tongue 28 during the operation of cutting or milling the same, the reed plate being supported on the-slide 3, and moving forward therewith, as will be hereinafter described. The form 13, in this instance, extends between ways 12" formed on the end 12' of the arm 12, and is adjustably held therein by a screw let extending through a vertical slot 13 in said form 13, and is vertically adjusted, preferably by a wedge 15, supported in an opening 16 in the end 12" of the arm 12, and extending under the lower end of the form 13, so that a slight movement of the wedge 15, in or out, will raise or lower the form 13. See Fig. 5. After adjustment the wedge may be secured in place by ascrew 17. See Fig. 4;.

The arm 12 is preferably provided with a vertical slot 18 therein, through which extends a screw 19, screwed into the slide 3, to retain in properposition said arm 12, and the form 13 therein. The arm 12 carries at its free end a stud or pin 20, shown in this instance as extending through a vertical hole in said arm, and secured therein by a screw 21. The lower end of said stud 20 travels on a track 22, and a spring 78, see Fig. 1, tends to depress and hold down the stud 20 in engagement with the track 22. The track 22 is supported on, and moves with a slide 23, which slide has a horizontal reciprocating motion, independently of the slide 3. Said track 22 has a pin 24 extending out therefrom, which is adapted to engage a notch 25 in the spring bar 25. The inner end of said bar 25 is secured in a stationary stand 26 on the frame 2, by the screw 27.

The office of the spring bar-25, in connection with the pin 24., is to hold. the track 22 and the slide 23, until the stud 20 is moved from the lowest point to the highest pointon said track, as indicated in Fig. 2, by the forward motion of the slide 3, and has raised the arm 12,

carrying the form 13, to its highest position, with the upper end of said form extending into the slot in the reed plate, as shown in Fig. i, when the track 22 and slide 23 move forward with said slide 3, as shown in Fig. 2, the pin 2i being released from the notch 25 in the spring bar 25, and the reed plate, supported on said slide 3 is carried under the cutter.

On the return movement of the slide 3, the spring bar 25, bearing on the pin 24, tends to hold the track 22 and slide 23, as shown in Fig. 2, until the stud 20 returns to the lowest point of its seat on the track 22, depressed by the spring 78, thus lowering the form 13 out of the slot in the reed plate, and the stud 20, engaging with the rear shoulder of the track 22, moves said track and the slide 23 back, until the notch 25' in the spring bar 25 engages the pin 24c on said track, as shown in Fig. 1.

The reed plates 28 are preferably placed, one over the other, in a hopper or reservoir 29, upon the stationary part of the machine, so that said reed plates will be automatically fed to the machine by gravity, dropping down into position on the slide 3, above the form 13, preparatory to being operated upon. The reed plates 28 are placed in the hopper 29 with the point, or free end of the tongue extending toward the cutter.

Mounted in way. 29, see Fig. 3, in the hopper 29 is a vertically moving check bar or gate 30, see Figs. 1 and t, the lower end of which is concave, as shown at 30, Fig. 6, and is adapted to extend down in front of the forward end 23 of the reed plate 28, as shown in Fig. at. An adjusting screw 31, mounted in a lug 30" on the check bar 30, and hearing at its lower end on a step 32, on the hopper 29, regulates the point to which the check bar 30 drops. Said check bar drops of its own weight. The object of the check bar or gate 30 is to stop the forward movement of the reed plate, until the upper front end of the form 13 engages with the front end of the slot 28', in the reed plate 23, whereupon said reed plate is simultaneously clamped on its edge, as will be hereinafter described, and forces the gate 30 up, to let the reed plate pass under it, and move forward with the slide 3, under the cutter.

I will now describe the mechanism for clamping the reed plate on its edge, to hold the same on the slide 3, and carry the reed plate under the cutter.

The clamping mechanism consists of an arm 34:, pivoted at its central point on a pin 35, supported in a horizontal arm 36, extending out from the upper part of the slide 3. See Fig. 3. The arm 34: has a pivotal motion in a horizontal plane, and carries at its outer end a plate 37, of hardened steel, adjustably secured by a screw 38 between ways 311-, formed on the upper surface of said arm. The inner end of said plate 37 is of substantially the same thickness as the reed plate 28 to be operated on, and is adapted to engage the outer edge of said reed plate, and clamp the other edge of said reed plate against a ridge or projection on the upper surface of the slide 3, to cause the reed plate to move with said slide, on its forward motion, under the cutter. The inward motion of the arm 34 is limited by an adjusting screw 39, mounted in said arm, and bearing at its inner end against a projecting portion on the slide 3. Positive motion is communicated to said arm 34 to cause the plate 37 to be moved in, to clamp the reed plate, by a disk or cam 40, mounted to revolve on a pin 41, secured in an arm 42, extending out from the slide 3. Said disk 40 revolves in a horizontal plane, and is provided with a groove 40 in the periphery thereof,into which the inner end of a pin 43, supported in the end of the arm 34, may enter. Rotary motion is communicated to the disk 40, in one direction, or in the other, in this instance by means of a spring rod 44, and a rod 45. The spring rod 44 is secured at one end, by a screw 46, in a stand 47 on the stationary part of the machine, and is provided at its other end with a hook 44', which is adapted to engage a pin 48 on the upper side of the disk 40, as the disk moves forward with the slide 3 on its forward movement, to revolve said disk in the direction indicated by arrow 00, Fig. 3. Said revolution of the disk 40 causes the end of the pin 43 to move on to the raised surface of the disk 40, and to move in the opposite end of the arm 34, carrying the plate 37, to clamp the reed plate on the slide 3. Vi hen the slide 3 has reached the limit of its forward motion, the end of the rod 45, secured by a screw 50 in a stationary arm 51, on the frame of the machine, engages with a pin 52, extending up from the disk 40, and moves the disk 40 in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrow g, Fig. 3, and permits the end of the pin 43 to enter into the groove 40 in the disk 40, to release the pressure of plate 37 on the reed plate.

A spring 53, hearing at one end against a ing 54 on the arm 34, and at its other end against a projection on the slide 3, tends to move in the clamping plate 37, to put a slight pressure, (on the return of the slide 3,) on the lowest reed plate in the column in the hopper or reservoir 29, that is the next one to be operated on by the cutter, to set said reed plate back against the rear wall or end of the hopper 29, so that its exact position may be controlled for the entrance of the upper end of the form 13 in the slot in said reed plate.

I will now proceed to describe the mechanism for operating the cutter, and more particularly for moving the same down into contact with the reed tongue, to operate thereon and for moving the same up out of contact with the reed tongue.

The circular cutter 33 is fast on the end of a shaft 55, mounted in a box 56 on the end of a rocking arm 57. The opposite end of the shaft has in this instance a pulley 58 thereon,driven by belt connection, not shown, to comunieate a rotary motion to the cutter. Therocking arm 57 is mounted on a journal 59, supported on stands 60, extending up from the frame 2. The opposite end of the rocking arm 57 is provided with a box 61,in which is mounted, in this instance, a rock shaft 62, carrying an arm 63 thereon. In the lower end of said arm 63 is secured, by a screw 64, a stud 65. The lower end of the stud 65 is adapted to travel on a track 66 supported on a tilt ing stand 67, and adjustable longitudinally thereon by screws 68. The tilting stand 67 is supported on a pin 69, mounted in ears 70, extending up from the upper part of the movable slide 3, and the tilting or rocking motion of said stand 67, to vary the inclination of the track 66, to adjust the rocking motion of the arm 57, is governed by set screws 71. In this instance a spiral spring 72, secured at one end to the upper end of the rocking arm 63, and at its other end to the end of the rocking arm 57, tends to keep the rocking arm 63 against the stop 73 on the arm 57, as shown in Fig. 1. A strong spiral spring 74, secured at one end to the end of the arm 57, and at its other end to the stationary part of the frame, tends to keep the cutter 33, in the opposite end of the arm 57, in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 1. An adjusting screw 75, mounted in a lug 76, on the arm 57, with its lower end bearing on the top of a stand 77 on the frame 2 of the machine, regulates the rocking motion of the arm 57. As the slide 3 moves forward, the track 66 on the stand 67 moves with said slide and carries said track 66 under the end of the stud 65 on the rocking arm 63, and causes said stud to ride up on the upper portion 66' of said track 66, to raise that end of the rocking arm 57, and lower the other end, carrying the cutter 33, as shown in Fig. 2. The continued forward motion of the slide 3 causes the stud 65 to pass off of the rear end of the track 66, allowing the spring 74 to act to draw down that end of the rocking arm 57', and raise the opposite end carrying the cutter 33. Upon the return movement of the slide 3, the stud 65 engages the rear end of the track 66, rotating the rocking shaft 62 and the arm 63, and passes back to the lowest part 66 of the track 66, when the spring 72 acts to restore the arm 63 and stud 65 to their original positions, as shown in Fig. 1. By means of the tilting stand 67,and the set screws 71, the inclination of the track 66,supported in the upper end of said stand, may be varied to regulate the point to which the cutter is depressed, according to the desired thickness and form of the reed tongue.

From the above description, in connection with the drawings, the operation of my machine will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The several parts of the machine are in the position shown in Fig. 1, preparatory to starting the machine. Power is applied to the machine to drive the pulley 6, and the cam 4 is its revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow, and engages the roll 7 on the slide 3, and causes said slide to move in the direction of arrow .2, Fig. 1, carrying the arm 12, which arm, through the stud 2O engaging the track 22, (which track is held by the rod 25,) is moved up at its forward end, causing the upper end of the form 13 to enter into the slot in the reed plate. The clamping arm 34 is then operated by the disk 40 to clamp the reed plate, and the continued forward motion of the slide 3 carries the reed plate by, under the gate 30, and under the revolving cutter 33, which at this time is depressed to come in contact with the reed tongue, as shown in Fig. 2, and operates to mill or cut the reedtongue,supported on the form 13, from the free end thereof toward the heel, the cutter revolvingin the same direction that the reed plate travels. The reed plate passes but once under the cutter, and then drops into a receptacle,pushed along by the next succeeding reed plate. After the reed tongue has been operated on by the cut ter, the several parts of the machine return to their first position, preparatory to operating on a second reed, and then the operation is repeated.

It will be understood that the several parts of the machine must be so timed and operated, as to work in unison, and at the proper time.

It will be understood that the details of construction of the several parts of my machine may be varied somewhat, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a reciprocating slide, on which the reed plate to be operated on is supported, and means for clamping the reed plate on said slide, of a form adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, which-rests on said form, and means for supporting and automatically operating said form, to cause the same to engage, and to be disengaged from the slot in the reed plate at the proper time, substantially as set .forth.

2. Inan automatic machine for voicing organ reed tongues,the combination with a slide upon which the reed plate to be operated on is supported, and means for operating said slide, and an arm pivotally supported on said slide, and carrying a form adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, and means for operating said arm, and a clamping mechanism, supported on said slide to clamp the reed on the slide, and means for operating said clamping mechanism, of a rotary cutter mounted at the end of a rocking arm, and said rocking arm, and means for operating the same to cause the cutter to be lowered to operate on the reed tongue, and to be raised to be disengaged therefrom, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an automatic machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a hopper or reservoir, in which the reed plates to be operated upon are placed, and a form with its upper end adapted to extend into the slot in the lowest reed plate in the reservoir, to support the reed tongue when the reed is moved under the cutter, and means for supporting and automatically operating said form, of a gate or check bar, adapted to have a vertical motion, with its lower end adapted to extend in front of the reed plate, to check the forward movement thereof, for the purpose stated, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with mechanism for supporting the reed tongue, when the reed plate is moved under the cutter, consisting of a form supported in the end of a pivoted arm, said pivoted arm supported on a reciprocating slide, and carrying a stud adapted to engage a track, to raise said form and cause the same to enter the slot in the reed plate, of a track mounted on a second slide, and a spring bar adapted to engage a pin on said track or slide, to hold said track, for the purpose stated preparatory to the same being moved forward with the first mentioned slide, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a reciprocating slide, and means for operating the same to carry the reed plate under the cutter,of mechanism for clamping the reed plate on said slide, consisting of a pivoted clamping arm supported on said slide, (and having a rocking motion in a horizontal plane,) and carrying a plate at one end to engage the edge of the reed, and clamp the same, and a pin at the other end to engage a disk, which operates to move said clamping arm, and said disk, supported on said slide, and provided with two pins, and means for operating said disk, consisting of a spring rod, adapted to engage one of the pins, to rotate the disk in one direction, and a second rod to engage the other pin, to rotate the disk in the opposite direction, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with the cutting mechanism for operating on the reed tongue, consisting of a rotary cutter at one end of a rocking arm, and said rocking arm pivotally supported on the frame of the machine, and carrying a rocking shaft at its otherend, provided with a stud adapted to travel on atrack to rock said first mentioned arm, and raise or lower the cutter, of said track, adj ustably mounted in the upper end of a tilting stand, and said tilting stand, supported on a reciprocating slide, and means for tilting the same to vary the inclination of the track thereon, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a form, adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, and means for supporting and automatically operating said form, to cause the same to enter the slot in the reed plate, and to be disengaged therefrom, of a rotary cutter for operating on the reed tongue, supported in a rocking arm, and said rocking arm, and means for moving said arm, to cause the cutter to engage the reed tongue and to be disengaged therefrom, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a reciprocating slide, carrying an arm, pivoted at one end thereon, and said arm, supporting a form adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, and means for automatically operating said arm to cause the form to be engaged with, and disengaged from the reed plate, and clamping mechanism supported on said slide, and adapted to clamp the reed plate thereon, of a rotary cutter adapted to operate on the reed tongue, and mounted in a rocking arm, and said rocking arm, and means for operating the same to cause the cutter to be engaged with and disenengaged from the reed tongue, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a form adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, and means for automatically operating said form to cause the same to engage with and to be disengaged from said slot, and means for holding the reed plate during its passage under the cutter, of a check bar or gate adapted to extend in front of the reed plate, for the purpose stated, sub stantially as set forth.

10. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a form adapted to extend into the slot in the reed plate, to support the reed tongue, and means for automatically operating said form, to cause the same to engage with and to be disengaged from said slot, and means for clamping the reed plate, to hold the same during its passage under the cutter, of a check bar or gate adapted to extend in front of the reed plate, for the purpose stated, and a rotary cutter, supported in a rocking arm, and means for moving said arm to cause the cutter to engage with and to be disengaged from the reed tongue, substantially as set forth.

11. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, mechanism for supporting the reed tongue when the reed plate is movedunder the cutter, said mechanism consisting of a form, adapted to be moved into, and out of the slot in the reed plate, and supported 011 a reciprocating slide, in combination with a track or surface mounted on a second slide, and means for stopping the motion of said track, for the purpose stated, preparatory to its being moved with the first mentioned slide substantially as set forth.

12. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with a form, supported and adapted to be moved into and out of the slot in the reed plate, and to support the reed tongue which rests on said form during the cutting operation, of means for automatically moving said form, substantially as set forth.

13. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, the combination with means for supporting and holding the reed plate, of means for placing the reed plate in proper position for the form to enter the slot therein, and said form upon which the reed tongue rests during the cutting operation, substantially as set forth.

let. In a machine for voicing organ reed tongues, a rocking arm, pivotally supported, and carrying a rotary cutter, and adapted to engage a track or surface to rock said arm, in combination with said track or surface, ad justably mounted in the upper end of a tilting stand, and said tilting stand, supported on a reciprocating slide, and means for tilting said stand, to vary the inclination of the track, for the purpose stated, substantially as set forth.

A. H; HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. DEWEY MARY J. GALVIN. 

